This invention relates to portable shade canopies and more particularly to portable shade canopies especially adapted for personal vehicles.
Portable shade canopies have heretofore been proposed, illustrative of which are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,257,259; 6,035,874; 5,605,030; 5,579,796; 5,287,871; 5,241,977; 5,522,409; 4,971,384; 4,886,083; 4,655,236; 4,184,501; 3,952,758; 3,349,784; 3,143,123; and 2,508,757.
Other proposals have been made for portable shade canopies, illustrative of which are British Patent 1,380,412; and Australian Patent 290,384.
Although such proposals have addressed selected problems encountered in erecting, using and disassembling portable shade canopies for automobiles, there yet have remained certain unresolved drawbacks to their use. Thus, among other problems, there have continued to be disadvantages with use of prior art devices. Such disadvantages include various ones of the following:
1. The vehicle to be shaded has to be driven onto the supporting legs.
2. Canopy materials are too bulky to conveniently fold up and store in the trunk.
3. Attachments are for car designs no longer found on the market such as bumper rims and rims above car windows.
4. Materials don""t allow for water drainage
5. Frames are excessively bulky.
6. Susceptibility to paint damage from deployment and use.
7. Excessively time-consuming to erect.
Accordingly, there has continued to be a need for an improved construction that provides for convenient storage and rapidity and ease of deployment while concurrently featuring light weight, wind resistance and effective shade for automobiles.
The improved devices according to the invention hereof include simple and cost effective features that ameliorate adverse conditions and characteristics heretofore associated with prior use and conditions. Thus, in accordance with the preferred embodiment hereof, at least four legs are provided in a main frame which features simplicity of erection and use in a style that connects to car windows. In this preferred embodiment provision is made to employ adjustable height legs, e.g., antennae-type rods, optional rubberized slides to deploy non-scratch barriers between legs and vehicle painted surfaces, deployment of selected hinges or springs, rubber and/or foam coatings on undersides of canopies to protect paint, shade extension flaps, lightweight shade materials with drain holes and ultra-violet resistance, and quick connect/disconnect supports.
Thus, the preferred embodiment includes a portable shade canopy assembly for a vehicle, the vehicle having a passenger compartment with a windshield, rear window and side windows, and wherein the canopy assembly comprises: a member of sheet material having a main body with at least four principal spaced-apart support locations and being adapted for disposition as a shade canopy for a vehicle, the support locations being spaced apart in a generally rectangular configuration, the member of sheet material being coated on its underside with paint-protecting material; four adjustable length legs, the legs being severally connectable to the four support locations; the legs having at their lower extremities feet adapted for engagement with supporting members; and a plurality of first arms, one of the first arms extending outwardly from each of the legs and substantially at right angles thereto, the first arms being positionable to extend outwardly from the passenger compartment thereby to extend sheet material beyond the passenger compartment. The preferred embodiment further includes a second arm extending from each of the legs and at right angles thereto, the second arms extending radially from the legs at predetermined angles with respect to the first arms.
It is one general object of the invention to improve portable shade canopies for personal vehicles;
It is another object of the invention to facilitate deployment of portable shade canopies for personal vehicles;
It is yet another object of the invention to reduce cost and complexity of such portable shade canopies;
It is yet another object of the invention to reduce vulnerability of automobiles to damage when employing portable shade canopies therefor;
It is still another object of the invention to reduce bulk through utilization of lighter weight materials; and
It is yet another object of the invention to facilitate water drainage when utilizing the portable shade canopies.
Accordingly, in accordance with one feature of the invention, four simple and easy-to-install supports (e.g., adjustable length legs) are provided, thereby facilitating rapid deployment or removal.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, positionable arms are provided and extend from the foregoing supports, thus providing for configuration of the canopy to include desired clearance from a shaded vehicle and facilitating circulation of air between the vehicle and canopy.
In accordance with still another feature of the invention, awning-like flaps are included, thus enhancing shading of a vehicle and protection of windows from external moisture.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, quick connect/disconnect connectors are provided between the aforementioned supports and the shaded vehicle, thus further facilitating deployment.
In accordance with still another feature of the invention, springs are provided within the supports thereby to facilitate deployment and integrity during adverse weather conditions.